Window-cleaner.



l. H. VATERLAUS.

WINDOW CLEANER. APPLICATION rmn APR.13. 191e.

Lmw, mmm De@ 4,1917.

// Inv E UTD r mam His .Awal-'11H55 JOHN H. VATERLAUS, OF FORT LEVETT, MAXNE.

I Wintrow-CLEANER.

Specification of LettersPatent.

ratenteanet. a, aait.

Application led. April 13, 1916. Serial No. 90,879.

To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that'l, JOHN H. VATERLAUS, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Fort Levett, in the county of Cumberland, and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in `WindowV Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to window cleaners and more particularly to that class embodying one or more squeegees, movable with respect to, but carried by the Window pane, and adapted to remove snow, rain, or moisture from the pane of glass.

rlFhe principal objects of my invention are to provide a window cleaner of the character described which is simple4 in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, each cleaner embodying a plurality of parts which may be formed on the same die stamping machine, or from the same mold, when desired; a window cleaner of the character described which may be easily assembled and the squeegee bar or bars removed without dismembering the entire device, for the replacing of Worn felt or rubber strips; and, a Window cleaner which may be applied to panes of glass of different thicknesses.

Another object of my invention is to provide an `improved squeegee bar for window cleaners which is j iirm throughout its length, and embodies means whereby the wipindg element may be quickly placed or remove @ther objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing Figure l is a perspective -view of the front portion of an automobile showing the application of' my invention to the wind shield thereof.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional yiew through a portion of the pane of glass, showing the application of a window cleaner, constructed according to my invention, applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the cleaner.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 isa perspective View of a disk or carrier, constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the squeegee. 4 1n the drawings, where similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, A designates a panel of glass; B a hub passing therethrough; C disks or carriers revoluble with but movable longitudinally of said hub; D squeegees; E springjwashers for pressing the squeegees against the glass A; F a nut having screw-threaded engagement With hub B for compressing spring Washers E; and, G a knob serving as a lock for nut F.

While I have herein shown my invention as applied toa pane of glass, forming' a part of a wind shield, it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to the windows of various types of vehicles, such as street cars, motor boats, etc., or can be applied to the windows of buildings, especially where it is desired to vhave a clear vision through the window as in switch houses, signal towers and the like. The pane of glass A is provided with a perforation 7 formed therein as by boring, or by means of a core when the glass is molded.

The main body portion 8 of hub B passes through perforation 7, which hub may also include a head 9, at one end, and a screwthreaded portion 10, opposite therefrom.

ln the example shown, two squeegees D are used, one at each side of the pane of glass A, and therefore, two carriers or disks C are shown, `one at or adjacent each face of glass, a compressible washer 11 being preferably interposed between the surface of the glass and the carrier, that is, one washer 11 at each face of the glass, the washers encircling the body portion 8 of hub B. Fach disk or carrier, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, is provided with an opening 12 to receivethe main body portion 8 of the hub; a keyway 13 open to said opening 1Q: and. for the purpose of supporting the squeegee D, is provided with a radial recess 14, in one face, a plurality of screw-threaded bores 15 being disposed open to the bottom 16 of recess 14E. In order that the disk or carrier C may be rotatable with but movable longitudinally of hub B, the pins 17 are.provided, having screw-threaded engagement with the main body portion 8, and entering the said keyways 13.

Referring now to the squeegee D, it preferably comprises a bar 18, substantially C-shaped in cross section; a iiexible strip 19, such as felt or rubber, fitting into the hollow of the bar 18, and extending laterally beyond the side walls thereof, as at 20; a filler 21 for holding the strip 19 in intimate contact with the interior of the bar; and, means 22, such as screws passing through the filler 21, strip 19, and havingy screwtlireaded engagement with the bar 19, at its crown portion. By extending the strip 19 beyond the side walls of the bar 18, as indicated at 20, a considerable surface of trie flexible strip is in contact with thel pane of glass Aso that, as the squeegee is moved over the surface of the glass, all snow, moisture or rain, will be wiped therefrom.

The squeegee is firmly .supported from the disk or carrier C, by having one end portion cut away, as at 23, longitudinally at its edges, the reduced portion 24 lit-ting into the recessl 14, with its edges resting upon the bottom of said recess, and engaging the side walls 25 thereof. This reduced p01'- tion is also provided with a plurality of perforations 26, axially alined with the screwthreaded bores 15, screws 27 havin their shanks passing through the perforations 26 and in screw-threaded engagement with the disk or carrier C at the bores 15, the heads of said screws engaging the curved outer ace, or crown of the bar 18, as shown i'n Fig. 2. Thus, as the screws 27 are tightened, the tendency sure upon the reduced portion 24, forcing its side walls into tight engagement with the side walls of recess 14, thus causing a tight screw-threaded engagement between the screws 27 and the threads of bores l5. The screws 27 are not apt to become loosened due to vibration, because of this spring action of the bar 18, and it is to be observed that said bar will remain rigid throughoutJ its length owing to the curvature transversely.

Referring now to the spring washers E, they are shown as somewhat cup shaped in the present example, protecting the screws 27. They are provided with a plurality of radial slots 28 open at the peripheral edge, and in order that the squeegees D may be removed from operative relation with the disks or carrieis C, such as for the replacing of worn flexible strips 19, said spring Washers may also be provided with enlarged openings 29, axially alined with the screws 27, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

One of the spring washers E rests against the face of one of the disks or carriers C, and also abuts against the head 9 of hub B. The other spring washer rests against a face of the other disk or carrier C, and against clearly y is to bring pres-Y which spring washer, the nut F is turned tightly. Thus the springs have a tendency to force the disks or carriers C toward each other, firmly pressing the flexible strips 19 of squeegees D against the two faces of the pane of glass A. The knob G may be turned upon the screw-threaded portion 10 of hub B, into engagement with the nut F, and if desired, a set screw 30 may be provided, extending through tlie neck 31 of knob G, and in engagement with said screw-threaded extension 10. Thus the knob not only serves as a means to facilitate rotation or oscillation of the squeegees about the axis of hub B, but also serves as a lock for nut F, which is adjusted to bring the desired pressure upon the flexible strip of the squeegees.

In assembling the device, the one spring washer E is firstplaced upon the hub, to engage the head 9 thereof, and the pin 17 nearest said head is then positioned so as to extend into the keyway 18 of the one disk or carrier C which is also placed about the hub. One washer 11 is then placed next adjacent to the disk C and a portion of the main body of hub B is then passed through the perforation 7 of the pane of glass A. This is followed by placing the other washer 11 in place, and turning the other pin 17 into the main body portion 8 of the hub. Upon placing the other disk or carrier C and spring washers into operative relation to the hub, the nut F can be turned tight, as hereinbefore described, and knob G placed upon the screw-threaded portion 10. It is desirable that the thickness of flexible strip .1.9 be slightly greater than that of the washers 11, in order that thek spring E may serve effectively in bringing t-lie said strip into intimate contact with the pane of glass A. The squeegees may be easily removed without dismembering the entire cleaners by merely passing the point of a screw driver through the enlarged openings 29 of the springs, into operative relation to screws 27, and drawing the squeegee bars 18 radially from the disk or carrier C.

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention; but,

I claim:

1. A window cleaner comprising in cornbination. a hub adapted to pass through a perforation in a pane of glass and provided with a head at one end and a screw-threaded portion opposite thereto; a coiiipressible washer about each end of said hub adapted to engage the opposite sides of said pane of glass; a disk next adjacent to each of said washers,l each disk being rotatable with but slidable longitudinally of said hub; a squeegce carried by each disk adapted to bear against said glass; a spring washer about said hub and bearing against one of said disks, and abutting against the head of said isaaooo hub; a second spring Washer about said hub and bearing against the other disk; and, a nut in engagement with the said screwthreaded portion of said hub and abutting against said last-mentioned spring Washer.

2. In a Window cleaner, the combination of a hub, a disk rotatabletherewith, provided With a radial recess in its one face, With screw-threaded bores open to the bottom of said recess, a spring Washer about said-hub, bearing against the said face of said disk and provided with enlarged openings alined With the axes of the said bores of said disks, a squeegee bar provided with a portion fitting into the said recess in said disk and provided With perforations axially alined With the said bores thereof, and screws passin through said squeegee bar and engaging 1n the said bores of said disks.,

3. ln a Window cleaner, the combination of a hub including a main body portion adapted to pass through a perforation 'in a pane of glass, tWo removable pins carried by said hub, adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of the said pane of glass, two carriers adapted to be located one Vat each face of said pane of glass and about said hub and each provided With a keyvvay to ac commodate theJ adjacent pin, squeegees carried by said carriers, and means for forcing said carriers toward each other.

JOHN H. VATERLAUS. 

